The apparatus of the present invention relates to a one-piece flexible mold for use in conjunction with a vacuum pot for distending the flexible mold radially outwardly to allow an article molded therein to be removed from the mold. Such apparatus facilitates the molding of articles which are completely free of seams or parting lines.
Molding devices employing a flexible mold and vacuum means used for pulling the flexible mold away from the molded article are generally shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,776,683, issued Dec. 4, 1973 to Putzer et al. The apparatus disclosed therein illustrates a distensible flexible mold which may be placed within a vacuum pot such that an annular vacuum chamber is formed between the vacuum pot and the mold to cause the flexible mold to be radially outwardly distended away from the formed article thereby permitting the article to be removed from the mold.